Senators Sign Stephen Halliday To Two-Year Extension
The Ottawa Senators have gotten some offseason work done early, signing center Stephen Halliday to a two-year extension with a $1.075MM AAV.
Halliday, who is repped by Kevin Magnuson of Magnuson Hockey Agency, was set to become a restricted free agent this summer.
The two-year entry-level contract Halliday signed in March of 2024, one that confirmed his exit from Ohio State University, was set to expire July 1.
Halliday, 23, has been a real draft-and-develop success story for the Senators. He was picked in the fourth round of the 2022 draft in his final year of eligibility, after he scored 35 goals and 95 points in 65 games for the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints. He was an instant-impact contributor for the Buckeyes, leading the team in scoring both seasons he played there. Halliday ended his college career with 77 points in 78 games played.
Since turning pro, Halliday has made real strides in his two seasons in the Senators organization. He signed with the AHL’s Belleville Senators at the conclusion of his sophomore NCAA campaign, and ended up scoring nine points in seven playoff games. That set the stage for his AHL rookie season, where he scored 19 goals and 51 points in 71 games.
That performance as an AHL rookie raised Halliday’s stock in the organization. He entered 2025-26 ranked as the No. 7 prospect in Ottawa’s system by Elite Prospects. The outlet projected him as a potential “top-nine playmaking power forward” at the NHL level if he could improve his “skating, pace, and inside-contact play.”
Halliday showed real flashes of that kind of upside this past season. He continued his strong track record as a scorer in the AHL, putting up a point-per-game scoring pace. But he was limited to just 29 games in Belleville because of NHL call-ups, and he ended up getting into 30 games for Ottawa.
Despite a severely restricted workload, (he averaged just 6:34 per game at even strength and had an additional 1:55 per game on the power play) Halliday managed four goals and 11 points. His performances suggested some promise, that there could be more to come down the line if he can continue to develop. Now, with a two-year extension in hand, Halliday will get the chance to turn that promise into reality.
Photos courtesy of Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Roby Jarventie Signs In Switzerland
Edmonton Oilers prospect Roby Järventie has signed a two-year contract with HC Ambrì-Piotta of the Swiss National League.
Järventie was set to become a restricted free agent this summer. His most recent NHL deal, signed last June, was a one-year, two-way pact with a league-minimum NHL salary, $125K AHL salary, and $200K guarantee.
The 33rd overall pick at the 2020 NHL Entry Draft by the Ottawa Senators, Järventie entered North America’s pro circuit in 2021 as a well-regarded prospect. He had spent the past two years competing at the pro level in Finland. He scored at a point-per-game rate during his draft season for KooVee Tampere in the second-tier Mestis, and had 25 points in 48 games for Ilves Tampere a year later.
With a coveted combination of size and offensive skill, there was real hope that Järventie could become an impactful NHLer in North America.
By 2022, he was ranked as the No. 5 prospect in Ottawa’s system by Elite Prospects, who wrote at the time that “his development since being drafted has been a sight to behold.”
The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler credited his rising trajectory as a prospect to “improvements to his acceleration and a more refined game on the perimeter.”
As an AHL rookie in 2021-22, Järventie scored 11 goals and 33 points in 70 games. The following campaign, a knee injury limited him to playing in just 40 games, but he nonetheless produced 16 goals and 30 points. Injuries proved to be a persistent obstacle for Järventie, as despite getting his first NHL games of his career in 2023-24, he was limited to under 30 total games played that entire campaign. In the summer of 2024, Järventie found himself traded to the Oilers in exchange for struggling 2021 first-rounder Xavier Bourgault.
In his first season as an Oiler, knee troubles once again blocked Järventie from making real progress towards becoming an NHL player. Mid-season knee surgery, and issues that resulted in his recovery, limited Järventie to just two games in the entirety of 2024-25.
Järventie signed with Finnish club Tappara Tampere last summer but eventually reversed course and elected to take another shot in an NHL organization. His decision paid off, to an extent, as he had a healthy and productive 2025-26 campaign. From 2022-23 through 2024-25, Järventie played in a total of 71 games. This year, he got into 61 games at the AHL level, meaning he nearly matched that number. In those 61 games, he produced 47 points and even earned three games at the NHL level.
But it appears that despite making tangible progress within the Oilers organization, Järventie has decided he would be best served continuing his career in Switzerland. Given his age, it’s not entirely out of the question that he could make a return to North America at some point down the line.
Injuries have been a huge obstacle to his development, but if he can put his knee issues behind him, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him back in the AHL, or even the NHL, in the future.
Photos courtesy of Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
Victor Hedman Announces Leave Of Absence Was For Mental Health
Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman revealed in a statement published Tuesday morning that over the past several months, he stepped away from the team for mental health reasons. A portion of his statement reads:
Over the past couple of months, I made the decision to step away and focus on my mental health. It was not an easy decision, but it was the right one.
I’ve always believed that being a leader means doing what’s best for the team. In this case, it also meant doing what was necessary to take care of myself, so I can be the best player, teammate, husband and father I expect to be.
I’ve been fortunate to have strong support from my family, my teammates and the organization, my therapist and I’m in a much better place today.
Hedman’s statement can be read in full here. Hedman originally took his leave of absence on March 25, with the Lightning simply stating that it was for “personal reasons.” He last played March 19, leaving a win over the Vancouver Canucks early due to what was originally reported as an illness. Head coach Jon Cooper said at the time, per Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times, that Hedman “wasn’t feeling well.”
Tampa’s captain is a player who requires no introduction. He is one of the defining blueliners of his generation: a two-time Stanley Cup champion, a Conn Smythe Trophy winner, a Norris Trophy winner, and a six-time Norris Trophy finalist overall. His 1,164 career games played and 811 career points are both the most by a defenseman in franchise history. He is a zero-doubt future Hockey Hall of Fame inductee and someone who will rank as one of the top blueliners in the recent history of the game.
A few days ago, Cooper told the media, including The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, that Hedman would be an option for the team “really soon.” He ended up not being able to return to the lineup as the Lightning’s season ended in game seven against the Montreal Canadiens. But the hope will be that Hedman’s progress can allow him to return to the ice next year.
Hedman is not alone as a player who has taken a leave of absence to focus on mental health. Ottawa Senators netminder Linus Ullmark took a leave of absence earlier this season, while other players such as Oliver Kylington and Jonathan Drouin have done the same in years past.
Central Notes: Nabokov, Makar, Klinkhammer
Colorado Avalanche goalie prospect Ilya Nabokov‘s KHL season ended with Metallurg Magnitogorsk’s loss to Ak Bars Kazan yesterday. The Denver Gazette’s Evan Rawal reports that the “original plan” for Nabokov was for him to come to North America at the end of his KHL campaign. Nabokov signed his entry-level contract in May of last year and played 2025-26 on a loan, meaning the team could reassign him to North America. Rawal noted that even if Nabokov doesn’t end up playing in what remains of this season, (it would most likely be in the AHL as Colorado’s goalie tandem is all but set in stone at the NHL level) there is still value in bringing Nabokov over to “get him used to [North America] and coaching staff.”
Nabokov, 23, was a second-round pick by the team at the 2024 draft, No. 38 overall. He is Colorado’s highest draft selection since the 2023 class. The Avalanche picked Nabokov off the back of an incredible rookie campaign in the KHL, where he went 23-13-3 in the regular season with a .930 save percentage. He was even better in the playoffs, going 16-6-0 in 23 games with a .942 save percentage to lead Magnitogorsk to a KHL title. He put up similarly strong numbers last season (without the playoff run) but saw his form dip in 2025-26, posting a .901 save percentage across 38 games. He is ranked by most outlets as Colorado’s top goalie prospect and one of their top prospects overall.
Other notes from the Central Division:
- Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar is all set to play in game two of the team’s second-round series against the Minnesota Wild, head coach Jared Bednar announced today. Makar missed a substantial amount of the early portion of the game and there was concern he may have suffered an injury that could sideline him, but that proved not to be the case. He ended up scoring two goals and adding an assist in Colorado’s game one victory. As one of the top defensemen in the world, Makar’s health is a key factor for both teams in this series.
- The Rockford IceHogs, who are AHL affiliates of the Chicago Blackhawks, announced that assistant coach Rob Klinkhammer was relieved of his duties. Rockford endured a difficult 2025-26 season, going 28-39-5, good for 61 points. They were just one point clear of having tied for the fewest in the AHL. Klinkhammer, who is a veteran of 193 NHL games from his playing days, ends his time in Rockford after four seasons. The IceHogs reached the playoffs in every other year he was behind the bench, and helped deliver NHL players to the Blackhawks such as Artyom Levshunov, Louis Crevier, Alex Vlasic, Colton Dach, and Landon Slaggert.
Latest On Sam Carrick, Noah Ostlund
5/4/26: The Sabres received some good news today regarding Carrick. Despite it being announced yesterday that he was expected to miss the team’s second-round playoff series, Carrick said today that he has progressed rapidly in his recovery and could be back on the ice in short order.
Ruff said that Carrick is “going to see our doctors today and thinks he’s further along than maybe I portrayed yesterday,” and that he could join our team back in practice tomorrow.”
It’s unclear whether Carrick is going to be ready in time for when the Sabres take on the Montreal Canadiens tomorrow night. But it’s looking increasingly likely that he will be able to play against Montreal at some point in the second round, especially if the series extends beyond the minimum of four games.
5/3/26: The Buffalo Sabres expect to be without centers Noah Ostlund and Sam Carrick for their upcoming second-round series, head coach Lindy Ruff announced today.
Carrick hasn’t played since March. He is sidelined with an upper-body injury, one he sustained in a fight with New York Islanders captain Anders Lee. Ostlund has been out since suffering his lower-body injury in game five against the Bruins.
This pair of injuries puts some strain on the Sabres’ center depth in advance of their series. The Sabres’ No. 4 center spot would typically be occupied by Carrick, but in his absence, the team has relied upon 23-year-old Tyson Kozak. Kozak is a hard-working, energetic player, but not someone who has the same level of experience or detail to his game when compared to Carrick. Carrick, 34, went to a Stanley Cup Final with the Edmonton Oilers and brings a level of reliability Kozak hasn’t yet established.
But while swapping out Carrick for Kozak is a downgrade in some respects, one could argue the loss of Ostlund is more significant. The 2022 first-rounder is one of Buffalo’s top prospects and showed flashes this season, scoring 11 goals and 27 points in 60 games. He even had his moments in the playoffs, scoring a goal and an assist in three games. Like Carrick, Ostlund is also a natural center.
As mentioned, while the Carrick injury has cost the Sabres a veteran fourth-line center, the real, more pressing risk posed by these absences is what would happen to the Sabres at the position if another center goes down.
No. 3 pivot Josh Norris is one of the team’s most talented players at the position, but has, unfortunately, been quite injury-prone in recent years. He missed three games in the first round due to an undisclosed injury, was limited to just 44 games in the regular season, and has reached 60 games played in a single campaign just once in his NHL career.
If Norris’ injury issues resurface in the second round (a series that is likely to be extremely physical given how the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens have competed their first-round series,) the Sabres could be left in a tough spot. They would potentially need to dress both Kozak and Josh Dunne or consider alternate options. Those options include shifting natural center Peyton Krebs back to the middle, breaking up a Tage Thompson line that has worked so well this year, or dressing talented rookie Konsta Helenius.
The options available to the Sabres if Norris or another center gets injured are not entirely ideal for a team looking to win a Stanley Cup. As a result, today’s two injury updates only further emphasize the importance of the health of Norris, Thompson, and Ryan McLeod for the Sabres.
William Karlsson To Return To Golden Knights’ Lineup
Vegas Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella revealed today that veteran center William Karlsson will return to the team’s lineup tonight for game one against the Anaheim Ducks.
Karlsson has been sidelined since early November with a lower-body injury. The 33-year-old was limited, as a result, to just 14 games played this year, scoring seven points. Karlsson is one of the original Golden Knights, a selection by the team in its 2017 Expansion Draft. He has been a steady presence down the middle for the club on all of its many deep playoff runs, including when he scored 17 points in 22 playoff games en route to a Stanley Cup championship in 2023.
Once the Golden Knights’ No. 1 center, Karlsson is no longer at that stage of his career. Not only has he declined from his peak – his total of 29 points last season was well below his career standards – but the Golden Knights have added significant talent at the position in recent years.
Superstar Jack Eichel is firmly entrenched as the team’s top pivot, and Tomas Hertl has been a strong No. 2 center throughout his career. Tortorella has most recently played Mitch Marner, who has largely been a winger throughout his NHL career, down the middle.
With Karlsson returning to the lineup, Tortorella now has some options as to how he could adjust his lineup. Tortorella may not want to make dramatic changes to a lineup that worked quite well in the first round against the Utah Mammoth, which could mean Marner sticks at center so the second line can remain intact. Karlsson could find a landing spot on the third line with Hertl, though that would mean one natural center is forced to the wing.
In any case, Karlsson’s return at this point is somewhat surprising – it was originally believed that it would take a very deep playoff run for Golden Knights fans to see him hit the ice again in 2025-26. But he’s set to return at the start of the second round, a real boost for Vegas, especially within a forward lineup already bursting at the seams with depth.
Rasmus Dahlin, Gabriel Landeskog, Jonathan Toews Named Masterton Trophy Finalists
The NHL has announced its three finalists for the Bill Masterton Trophy: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, Colorado Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog, and Winnipeg Jets forward Jonathan Toews.
The Trophy is awarded annually by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association to the player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey.”
Dahlin captained the Sabres to a season fans in Buffalo won’t forget for a long time. The franchise had not made the postseason in 14 years, the longest playoff drought in the “Big 4” North American professional sports leagues.
Dahlin’s leadership, and stellar on-ice play, helped the Sabres become one of the league’s best teams over the course of 2025-26.
Dahlin was able to accomplish all of this despite immense off-ice challenges.
Last July, Dahlin’s fiancee, Carolina Matovac, underwent an emergency heart transplant while the pair were vacationing in France. She later revealed that the couple lost their unborn child as well. The Athletic’s Matthew Fairburn told Dahlin and Matovac’s story in an excellent piece last month. He noted that during the beginning of the season, Matovac’s recovery was weighing on Dahlin, and he “had trouble focusing” on the season.
Dahlin eventually stepped away from the team in November to be with his fiancee, a decision the entire Sabres organization emphatically supported. He told Fairburn:
The first part of the season was terrible. I could not think about anything else other than Carolina. Then Terry Pegula flew me home to Sweden to be able to see Carolina for a week, and it just gave me an unbelievable boost. Then I was able to go home during Christmas, and I’ve just been lucky to have the organization let me go home and do stuff I needed to do throughout this process. And things got better every day.
Dahlin did eventually return from his leave of absence, and when he did, he joined a Sabres team that was quickly becoming a juggernaut. He finished the season with 74 points in 77 games, and led Buffalo to victory over their first-round opponent, the Boston Bruins. His fiancee was even able to return to Buffalo and be welcomed back by an adoring home crowd.
Each nominee for the Masterton Trophy, every year it is awarded, is deserving in his own right. But the story of Dahlin’s 2025-26 season in particular embodies the core values of the award.
Moving on to Landeskog, this is actually the Avalanche captain’s second consecutive campaign as a finalist for the award. Landeskog missed three seasons as a result of knee injuries, coming directly after he led Colorado to a Stanley Cup championship in 2022.
Landeskog was productive for the Avalanche this season, scoring 35 points in 60 regular-season games, and five points in five playoff contests so far.
There are many athletes for whom missing three seasons would be an insurmountable, career-ending obstacle. There were those who, at times, speculated that might be the case for Landeskog. It did not. He is back in the NHL and his knee issues appear to be behind him, and the league is better for it.
The final nominee is Toews, the former Chicago Blackhawks star who captained the team to three Stanley Cup titles in the 2010’s. Toews’ story shares some similarities to Landeskog’s. He missed two full seasons as a result of a variety of health issues, including long Covid and Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS). Toews left the game unsure of whether he would be able to play again, and went to great lengths to pursue methods of recovery, including traveling to Asia for “a five-week Ayurvedic detox.”
Toews was able to return to the NHL, signing with his hometown Winnipeg Jets. He played in all 82 games of the Jets’ season, his first full, healthy NHL campaign since 2018-19. He scored 11 goals and 29 points while winning 62% of his faceoffs. Like Landeskog, he had no assurances he would be able to continue his storied NHL career, but he found a way to return to the game.
Photos courtesy of Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Metro Notes: Nikishin, Malkin, DeBoer
The Carolina Hurricanes expect to keep rookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin out of their lineup for tonight’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers as he recovers from a concussion, head coach Rod Brind’Amour said today. Nikishin hasn’t played since suffering a concussion in game four of the team’s first-round sweep of the Ottawa Senators. Brind’Amour told the media, including North State Journal’s Cory Lavalette, that keeping Nikishin out of the lineup is a “health decision.”
The Hurricanes played Nikishin on a pairing with veteran Shayne Gostisbehere when he was healthy. Nikishin wasn’t able to dress for game one against the Flyers, so the Hurricanes turned to veteran Mike Reilly in that slot. The 32-year-old provided Carolina with an instant return-on-investment, registering two assists in the team’s 3-0 victory. As Carolina hopes to continue its march towards another Eastern Conference Final, the status of Nikishin, one of the league’s top rookie blueliners, will be a storyline to monitor.
Other notes from the Metropolitan Division:
- One player whose future has come under immense scrutiny in the aftermath of his team’s playoff exit has been Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin. It’s unclear whether the future Hall of Fame pivot will continue his career in Pittsburgh. The Athletic’s Josh Yohe reported this morning that Malkin’s representatives will reach out to Penguins GM Kyle Dubas to set up more substantial talks on Malkin’s future. Malkin’s camp, led by J.P. Barry of CAA, will no doubt be hoping to secure an agreement to keep Malkin in Pittsburgh for what is most likely going to be his final campaign in the NHL.
- New York Islanders head coach Peter DeBoer only got to coach in four games before the end of the 2025-26 season, and that quick turnaround meant that he didn’t have an opportunity to build a staff from scratch. Stefen Rosner of The Elmonters named two coaches as legitimate candidates to get a job on DeBoer’s staff: Boston Bruins assistant Steve Spott, who is a longtime DeBoer assistant, and Misha Donskov, who will coach Canada at the upcoming IIHF Men’s World Championships. Spott was on DeBoer’s staff with OHL Kitchener and in the NHL with San Jose, Vegas, and Dallas. Donskov overlapped with DeBoer in Vegas and Dallas.
Canadiens Reassign Adam Engstrom
The Montreal Canadiens reassigned defenseman Adam Engström to their AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket.
The move comes in the aftermath of the Canadiens’ victory in game seven of their first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. They are set to take on the Buffalo Sabres in the second round.
Top defenseman Noah Dobson returned from a hand injury to play in game seven, pushing Engström down a spot within the Canadiens’ depth chart of healthy blueliners. Arber Xhekaj came out of the lineup to accommodate Dobson’s return. With Xhekaj now available as a spare defenseman, there is less of a need for Engström to be on the NHL roster – hence today’s reassignment.
The status of the Rocket likely also impacted this move. Laval won their first game of their playoff series against the Toronto Marlies last week, but dropped the next two contests. They have surrendered 12 goals over their last two games, and would be eliminated with a loss tomorrow. This reassignment gives Laval one of their top defensemen back for the most important game of their season.
Engström, 22, was one of the Rocket’s top players in his time there this season. The 2022 third-round pick scored 10 goals and 34 points in 45 games this season, a performance that earned him 15 games at the NHL level.
When he was in Laval, Engström was the Rocket’s No. 1 defenseman, playing a heavy diet of minutes in all situations. He was ranked as the sixth-best prospect in the team’s system by Scott Wheeler of The Athletic.
If the Rocket do end up eliminated by the Marlies on Tuesday, expect Engström to return to the NHL roster in short order. But the hope in Montreal will be that he can help engineer a series turnaround for the Rocket and assist as they make a push for their first Calder Cup title in franchise history.
Morning Notes: Ivanov, Wallmark, Palmu
The Columbus Blue Jackets are hoping to sign netminder Sergei Ivanov away from the KHL this summer, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reported today. Ivanov’s contract with KHL side SKA St. Petersburg is set to expire at the end of the month, and according to Portzline, “the plan is” for Ivanov to spend next season with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, assuming Columbus can secure his signature on an entry-level contract.
The 22-year-old goalie was a fifth-round pick, No. 138 overall, at the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. He broke into Russia’s top pro league at the age of 20, when he posted a .928 save percentage in 33 games for Admiral Vladivostok. The following campaign, he got into 38 games for HC Sochi and posted a .911 save percentage. This past year, he played 29 games for SKA and had a .928 save percentage. He was recently ranked as the No. 4 prospect in the Blue Jackets’ system by Scott Wheeler, also of The Athletic. In the past, some Russian prospects have shown an aversion to developing in the AHL – many would rather remain closer to home unless they get the chance to play in the NHL. The Blue Jackets appear to believe that is not the case with Ivanov, who after three years in the KHL, could be headed to North America.
Other notes from around the hockey world:
- Former Carolina Hurricanes forward Lucas Wallmark has signed a six-year contract to join the SHL’s IF Björklöven, the team announced today. Contracts of such a length are not as common overseas as they are in North America, making this signing notable. The 30-year-old has not played in the SHL since 2016, which came before the half-decade he spent in North America. Wallmark’s best season came in 2018-19, when he scored 28 points in the regular season and five in the playoffs for a Hurricanes team that reached the Eastern Conference Final. He spent 2025-26 with HC Fribourg-Gottéron of the Swiss National League, and had a stellar playoff run. His 14 points in 19 postseason contests helped his club win its first Swiss championship in franchise history.
- Former Vancouver Canucks prospect Petrus Palmu has signed a one-year contract with Liiga’s SaiPa, according to a team announcement. The 2017 sixth-round pick spent the last two years with HIFK Helsinki, scoring seven goals and 25 points in 49 games in 2025-26. Once a top OHL scorer and Liiga MVP, Palmu’s star has faded over the last few years compared to where it was before. The 28-year-old will receive a new opportunity with SaiPa, a club that won the league in 2024-25 and the league’s bronze medal this year.